Theosophical Queries: Answer to a Letter

By H. P. Blavatsky

Now it is a fundamental doctrine of Theosophy that the "separateness"
which we feel between ourselves and the world of living beings
around us is an illusion, not a reality. In very deed and truth,
all men are one, not in a feeling of sentimental gush and hysterical
enthusiasm, but in sober earnest. As all Eastern philosophy teaches,
there is but ONE SELF in all the infinite Universe, and what we
men call "self" is but the illusionary reflection of
the ONE SELF in the heaving waters of earth. True Occultism is
the destruction of the false idea of Self, and therefore true
spiritual perfection and knowledge are nothing else but the complete
identification of our finite "selves" with the Great
All. It follows, therefore, that no spiritual progress at all
is possible except by and through the bulk of Humanity. It is
only when the whole of Humanity has attained happiness that the
individual can hope to become permanently happy -- for the individual
is an inseparable part of the Whole.

Hence there is no contradiction whatever between the altruistic
maxims of Theosophy and its injunction to kill out all desire
for material things, to strive after spiritual perfection. For
spiritual perfection and spiritual knowledge can only be reached
on the spiritual plane; in other words, only in that state in
which all sense of separateness, all selfishness, all feeling
of personal interest and desire, has been merged in the wider
consciousness of the unity of Mankind.

This shows also that no blind submission to the commands of another
can be demanded, or would be of any use. Each individual must
learn for himself, through trial and suffering, to discriminate
what is beneficial to Humanity; and in proportion as he develops
spiritually, i.e., conquers all selfishness, his mind
will open to receive the guidance of the Divine Monad within him,
his Higher Self, for which there is neither Past nor Future, but
only an eternal NOW.

Again, were there no "poor," far from the "benefits
of civilization being lost," a state of the highest culture
and civilization would be attained, of which we cannot now form
the faintest conception. Similarly, from a conviction of the impermanence
of material happiness would result a striving after that joy which
is eternal, and in which all men can share. Throughout the whole
letter of our esteemed correspondent there runs the tacit assumption
that happiness in material, physical life is all-important; which
is untrue. So far from being the most important, happiness in
this life of matter is of as little importance in relation to
the bliss of true spiritual life as are the few years of each
human cycle on earth in proportion to the millions and millions
of years which each human being spends in the subjective spheres,
during the course of every great cycle of the activity of our
globe.

With regard to faculties and talents, the answer is simple. They
should be developed and cultivated for the service of Humanity,
of which we are all parts, and to which we owe our full and ungrudging
service.